Green Tea Everything

When Alex and I were walking around Tokyo and Kyoto, we were almost always within sight of a vending machine. These machines were quite welcome, because it's humid and warm there, and we were usually in need of a drink. I soon latched on to my favorite thirst quencher: iced green tea, unsweetened. I found it the ideal refresher, with just enough stimulant to perk up a caffeine wuss like me.

But green tea wasn't just hanging out in the ubiquitous vending machines. Green tea flavoring was everywhere, especially in desserts. In the Kyoto train station, Alex ordered a green tea parfait that contained green tea–flavored ice cream, pound cake cubes, mousse, gelatin bits, wafer cookies, and more items I can't remember. It was a tall sundae glass filled with various hues of forest green.

The Japanese employ green tea the way we do chocolate here: Soft serve ice cream comes in vanilla, green tea, and swirl. While I often found green tea treats overly bitter, it succeeds brilliantly in that glorious East-West union: green tea ice cream. The tea's bitterness meets the cloying sweetness of ice cream in a refreshing, perfectly balanced dessert. I like it far better than chocolate ice cream, which I've always felt doesn't do chocolate justice.

The day we left, I picked up some matcha, powdered green tea, and tea leaves. Thanks to the Japanese genius for illustration, I was able to understand the package directions for iced green tea (2 teaspoons of leaves in 1 quart of water; let sit 40 minutes and drain; chill). It's great fuel for working in the summer garden. The matcha I'm saving for ice cream.